Is it really over...?
Ash still couldn't bring himself to believe in the calm surrounding him. Deep inside his heart, he remained skeptical, wary that his unpredictable luck or cursed fate would twist reality once more and throw something unexpected at him again.
But for the moment, there was only silence. No hidden shadows. No strange movements.
Everything seemed... quiet.
"Sir Unknown, we did it!!!!!!"
Serena's joyful voice suddenly echoed through the space. Without warning, she leaped at him, her expression glowing with happiness and tears welling in her eyes.
Ash blinked in surprise as she crashed into him. Reflexively, he caught her, and in the next moment, she wrapped her arms around him tightly, holding him as if she never wanted to let go.
"Thank you... thank you... thank you so much... If not for you, I would have died back there... I'm really, really glad I met you..."
Her voice trembled as she spoke, her words overflowing in a stream of emotion.
